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Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

53Effie

A-List Customer
Messages
420
Location
Orygun
Yeah. The cake was really good too. Didn't help my diet, but what the heck. I'll post some pics after the initial wear-in period. I've got them on today and feeling good so far. They are pretty similar to yours with the patrol toes Bretron, but a bit different with the Morrison type western toe, which is not as pointed as I thought they would be from seeing the listing on ebay. I hope they look as good as yours do after a little wear time.
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Do any of you own recently made Red Wing 2268's? I saw a good deal on a new pair not long ago, but the leather on the new one's looks like thick vinyl, and they look kind of plasticky overall. Does the leather break in and look nicer? I would love to own the classic, but I am nervous pulling the trigger when Wescos and White's are just a bit more.
 

kyboots

Practically Family
I have other Redwings and have seen these, but did not buy. If you want a pair to wear in the snow or rain when you don't want to wear your Wesco's fine; BUT you will not be happy with these otherwise. They are very nice boots but you are discriminating and these are not Wesco's.
 
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jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Ky,

Thanks for the advice. The price I saw was tempting, but the build quality looked a little rough, and the leather didn't look nice enough for what 2268's normally cost.
 

DesertDan

One Too Many
Messages
1,582
Location
Arizona
Great boots in this thread but quite a bit out of my price range. I have been wanting a nice pair of engineer boots but haven't read the whole thread, what is the general consensus on the quality of Chippewa brand boots? How would they compare to Redwing Heritage 2991s?
 

winterland1

Practically Family
Messages
535
Location
minneapolis
There is great deal on Wolverine 1000 mile engineer boots on Sierra Trading Post. They have 8 and 8 1/2 left. When I tried wolverine 1000 miles on I needed 1 whole size smaller than normal.
They are blems but for this price I wouldn't care. $213 with shipping. use code SITEEND813 gets you the 25% off
I would get them but saving for Red Wing Beckman.
You can try signing up with this link and you should get $10 also. http://alturl.com/rcipc
boots here
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/wolverine-1000-mile-10”-engineer-boots-factory-2nds-leather-for-men~p~6202w/
 
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bretron

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,519
Location
NW
That is a solid deal for sure. And a great option for mid level priced boot. Also, I'm a fan of a 10" shaft so that's a bonus :)
 

smoothsailor

One of the Regulars
Messages
238
Location
groningen
My lofgrens, wearing them since may
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kyboots

Practically Family
Great boots in this thread but quite a bit out of my price range. I have been wanting a nice pair of engineer boots but haven't read the whole thread, what is the general consensus on the quality of Chippewa brand boots? How would they compare to Re
dwing Heritage 2991s?
DAN depends on the price you want to pay. The Redwing is a nice boot, and I certainly do favor it over the Chippewa; but you can find black Chippewa's on Ebay pretty cheap. There are different levels of Chippewas so please take time and read the last few pages. Jimmer has great reviews on his Wescos and Whites not too many pages back. Read those too. Let me know if I can help or give opinion. Everyone here easy to work with, No ---holes like some threads.
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Great boots in this thread but quite a bit out of my price range. I have been wanting a nice pair of engineer boots but haven't read the whole thread, what is the general consensus on the quality of Chippewa brand boots? How would they compare to Redwing Heritage 2991s?

Dan,

I'll try to break it down as best i can - I have owned or at least handled many of the major brands available.

Chippewa - These are worth about $200, but not more. Build quality is what you would expect for the price, and I believe they are still made in the USA. The pair I owned was not very comfortable to walk in, but would prably work fine on the bike.

Frye - Again, I would say $200 or less is fair for Frye boots. I prefer the quality of the made in USA options, but many are made in Mexico as well these days. The Rand Engineers are good, but they were not to my taste. I returned a pair of the Rogan engineers because they felt really cheap - the leather was thin and low quality. The standard Frye 12R is made in the USA, should be a good fit, and I would pay $200 for a pair.

Red Wing - Red Wing is funny. In general, I think they are an upgrade over Chippewa, but I don't like everything they make. Their USA made lace-up boots are very nice, but I'm not sure about their Engineer boots yet. My local dealer had a pair of 2971's (same as the 2991 but with a white crepe sole and lighter color) and they fit really nice, but the leather felt a little cheap for the price. I broke down and bought a pair of their classic 2268 Engineer boots the other day - I had some doubts, but the seller dropped the price so low that i couldn't resist. I'll report on them when they arrive - If I don't like 'em, they'll be going back. They generally cost $350-$400, which seems is too much since you can get a pair of superior boots like White's Nomads or Wesco Boss for $400 brand new.

Wesco - The Boss Engineer boot is kind of the "gold standard" of engineer boots. The leather is thick and supple, the build quality is superb, and they are all leather - no man made materials. The $400 starting price sound s like a lot, but they are worth it 100%. They really are that much better. The leather is top quality, but they are totally rebuildable, and they will last for just about life if taken care of. Made in the USA (about an hour from me) and the craftsmanship is obviously well above the other brands we've discussed. One note - Wesco's fit true to size, and the sizing is a pretty standard affair. I drove up to their shop expecting ot be fitted like White's or Nick's would do. Instead, the guy simply handed me a pair of boots to try on (which he struggled to find in my size 13) and asked me how they felt. Just an observation, but for this kind of money, I prefer a little more expertise as fit is concerned. They will make a custom last if requested, but if not, you just pick a standard size.

White's - I probably sounded like I was pretty excited about Wesco, but I like White's even better. This is a matter of opinion, but I prefer White's even over Wesco. You can get into a pair of their Nomad Engineer boots starting at $400, and they are nice. The leather is beautiful, and if you like brown, I think their brown color is nicer than Wesco. The White's use their high arch, which might take a little getting used to, but it's very comfortable. Great leather, superb build quality, and a great fit. The other noteworthy point is that White's takes the fit of their boots very seriously. They ask for specific measurements of your foot, and if you visit their shop, they will sit you down, take measurements, test fit stock boots, and assure that the boots fit you personally. They will also make a custom last if you need it, but if you fit a stock size, once you are measured, you're ready to go. I have two pairs of these with my third pair on order (black with double midsoles and Vibram half soles) so obviously I'm a fan.

RRL - Beautiful boots, there are still some of the nice Julian made ones out there and they're beautiful, but...... the fit is an issue for a lot of people. They fit well once they're on, but the shaft tapers at the ankle making them really hard to put on. And they're expensive. It's a dealbreaker for a lot of people. I got a killer deal on mine, and I had them stretched. I need to have it done again. They are great boots, but I still consider getting rid of them with what a headache they are to put on and take off.

Ultra high End - Buco / Mr. Freedom Road Champ / Lofgren's / etc. - I ahve not owned or handled any of these but they look awful nice. The price of entry is around $900 - $1000, so budget becomes a real issue for most people. I personally feel that you might reach point of diminishing returns with some of these, but I have not handled these so I can't really comment. I do own a pair of Julian made RRL's, and Julian makes the Mr. Freedom Road Champ, so I feel like I have some basis for my beliefs. That being said, these are top of the line boots, and nothing else really compares. If you want a genuine 40's style boot, the Road Champ is pretty much all that is out there, and they are very nice. There are plenty of others here who can provide much better information on these boots than I can. :)
 
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jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Smoothsailor - I measured both the shafts on my Wescos and my Whites a while back and they were surprisingly close in circumference. I will have to check again, but. I think they difference was negligible. The Wesco shafts feel a bit smaller in circumference though.
 

Kato

Familiar Face
Messages
82
Location
Hong Kong
Hi all..

I am new here and nice to meet you guys here! ;)

This is my Lone Wolf LW00300 Engineer boots ordered from Japan, it takes only 3 day to send to my home. Very fast delivery!

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When i open the box。。。。。wow。。。。。I'm loving it!
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The boot weight is not as heavy as wesco boss and viberg
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Close up
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smoothsailor

One of the Regulars
Messages
238
Location
groningen
Smoothsailor - I measured both the shafts on my Wescos and my Whites a while back and they were surprisingly close in circumference. I will have to check again, but. I think they difference was negligible. The Wesco shafts feel a bit smaller in circumference though.
Thanks
 

53Effie

A-List Customer
Messages
420
Location
Orygun
Welcome Kato. Those are some really good looking boots. I've not seen many Lone Wolf boots here. Thanks much for sharing the pics. Enjoy them.
 

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